ALWAYS
by fade to nothing
Summary: Albus is going to go to Hogwarts, but he has a little doubt in his mind. It is Harry's duty to show him that your house doesn't matter. TRIBUTE TO SEVERUS SNAPE!


"Dad?" Albus Potter asked timidly.

"Yes Albus?" Harry replied.

"I am scared to go to Hogwarts."

"And why would you be afraid to go?" asked Harry.

"What if I get sorted into Slytherin? All the dark wizards were sorted into

Slytherin, everyone hates them." Harry thought about what his son had said. It was time to show him.

Today was the day Harry sighed as he looked in the mirror one last time. Today was the day were he had watched hundreds of people die right before his eyes. But, today was the day one of the most important people Harry knew had died. 19 years ago. Trying to save him.

Harry sat down and groaned and flopped onto his bed, he had costed many people their lives, and he wasn't proud of it one bit. Thinking about it all just made it a whole lot worse. Harry heard a knock on the door as he saw Ginny coming in wearing a long black dress. "Harry! You have got to get up it is almost time to and you are wrinkling your suit," Ginny said all at once. She looked at Harry and sighed. "Come on Harry, you know that wasn't your fault."

"No you don't understand Gin," Harry replied, "everyone wanted to protect me and that's how they ended up dying all because of ME." Ginny sighed again and pulled Harry up into a sitting position.

"Harry," Ginny said in a calm and endearing voice, "you have to listen to me, people didn't die to save you, they died to save the wizarding world. And, if that meant that they had to die for you then, they were willing to make that sacrifice because they knew that one life was nothing compared to the thousands, or maybe millions of people who would have died if you didn't stop him." Ginny looked at his tie and started fixing it. Harry smiled at his wife and how she had cheered him up. That was why he was in love with this woman.

"Thanks Gin," he said kissing her on the forehead as she tried to straighten out his hair.

"Your very welcome," she replied with a tinkling laugh. Just as she got off the bed a loud groan sounded.

"Not again you guys," Albus gagged, "Please get a room

"Albus in all fairness we _did_ have this room before you so rudely decided to barge in," Harry laughed.

"Where are we going anyway?" Albus whined.

"Albus we are going to visit our professor, a very honorable man." Ginny replied.

"Yay! Are we going to Hogwarts?" Albus asked, now all excited.

"No, we are going to Godric's Hollow, let's go."

As they arrived at Godric's Hollow Harry looked around, he couldn't believe this was the place where he had been born, even after years of visiting his parents graves he could never let go of that familiar chill that went down his back every time he came there. The ideas of Voldemort killing his parents still haunted him. "Where does he live?" Albus asked still pretty excited to be out in the wizarding world.

"Albus, son," Harry started as he saw Ginny shooting him warnings looks, "there is a story I would like to tell you. It all started when you were not born and an evil man, a dark wizard roamed around the wizarding world."

"Voldemort?" Albus asked.

"Yes, he killed and tortured many people, those were dark days Albus, you didn't know who you could trust and who you couldn't he turned your family and friends away from you. But, this story is about one of the people he killed."

"Your professor?" Albus interrupted again.

"Yes," Harry sighed, "He was one of the greatest man I knew and the bravest for that matter too. He saved my life, and I will forever be in his debt."

Harry looked up, they were at the cemetery gates, it seemed like ages that he was standing there, thinking about all the times he was wrong. He had hated this man for most of his childhood, thinking that he was out to get him. But, Harry was just too thick to see it, underneath all the times he had done things that Harry thought were in spite of him were just to protect him. Finally, a small warm hand woke him out of his trance. He saw Albus looking up at him guiding him to go in. So, Harry, Albus and Ginny hand in hand walked into the cemetery gates.

When they found the grave, Ginny whipped out her wand and transfigured a blade of grass into a beautiful bouquet of flowers and placed it on the grave. Harry looked down, suddenly remembering the horrid day.

 _ *****FLASHBACK*****_

The final battle had just ended, everyone had taken it to gather their dead friends and family to bury them. Harry lay on the ground, he couldn't help but think about how he had actually survived it all, seeing that most of his friends and family were less fortunate. He felt peaceful, just lying there in the dirt wanting to just lie there forever, undisturbed. "Harry," Ginny's voice oddly blended in with his serenity. Harry groaned and rolled over. "Harry," she said again, this time more urgently, "We found Snape in the Shrieking Shack so, we are burying him here in Hogwarts, with the rest of the dead people. I was wondering if you would like to come because we are burying everyone right now."

Harry got up, "no, we are going to bury Snape in Godric's Hollow, he deserves a proper funeral." Ginny nodded wordlessly and took Harry's hand and walked towards the castle.

Harry watched as the ministry official lowered the silver casket into the ground. "What would you like to be inscribed on the the tombstone, sir?" The ministry official asked.

"Here lies Severus Snape, a man who will be forever remembered for his greatness and gifts. This man did things, no other man could do. May he be in our hearts, forever and Always." Harry ended whispering the last word making it almost inaudible.

 _ *****END FLASHBACK*****_

Albus looked at the grave, "He must be an important guy, huh dad?"

Harry smiled at his sun, "Yeah Albus, do you know what this man's name is?"

Albus looked confused, "What?" he asked.

"His name was Severus Snape," Harry replied.

"Dad, that's my name!" Albus said somewhat excitedly.

"Yes Albus, This is one of the men you were named after," Harry said to his son, "And guess what? He was a Slytherin. Albus even if you are in Slytherin it doesn't matter because you can achieve great things. The bad people in this house chose to be bad Albus, but that doesn't mean that you have to be bad too. You have the choice to do something right. Your house doesn't dictate who you are as a person, I hope you understand that."

Albus smiled, he was feeling better about going to Hogwarts now. "Thanks dad," Albus said, "That really makes me feel better about myself… Hey dad? Will you love me no matter what house I am in?"

Harry smiled, "Always."


End file.
